The
tuition rates for 2004-05 were set utilizing a
sliding scale designed to accurately reflect program
needs and costs, and not to burden unduly any particular
student group. The tuition rate increases vary
depending on whether an individual is a lower division
undergraduate (freshmen and sophomores), an upper
division undergraduate (juniors and seniors), or
a graduate student. The new tuition rates also
differ depending on the student’s major area
of study and resident status.

LEXINGTON,
Ky. (April 6, 2004) -- The
University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today
approved increases in tuition and fees, along
with room and board fees for UK students effective
for the fall 2004 semester.

The
increases were discussed and submitted to the trustees
for action by the board’s Finance Committee,
which met earlier in the day.

UK
President Lee T. Todd Jr. told the board members
that the tuition and fees increase is necessary
because, “We have a responsibility to our
faculty and staff to provide them competitive salaries
and benefits and the resources they need to feel
good about the professional tasks that we ask them
to perform.”

Todd
added that the university has done everything that
was asked of it in House Bill 1, which set a goal
for UK to reach top-20 status by the year 2020.
He said the number and quality of UK students has
increased, and UK has broken all records in attracting
additional research dollars.

Speaking
of the state budget cuts UK has experienced, Todd
said, “We can’t afford the kind of
cuts we've been seeing.” Some persons, he
said, believe the recent cuts “might just
be a bump on the road and that we'll recover when
the economy improves. My concern is that it might
also be a drop off the cliff.”

Commenting
on recent losses of senior faculty members to other
universities, Todd said, “Momentum shifts
in higher education just like it does in basketball
games – when the other team gets it, you
will find that people like Vanderbilt start coming
after our top faculty, and we lose that game.”

The
president closed his remarks by telling board members, “We've
got to stay the course behind House Bill 1, not
just for ourselves, not just inside the walls of
this institution, but for the good of Kentucky.”

The
tuition rates for 2004-05 were set utilizing a
sliding scale designed to accurately reflect program
needs and costs, and not to burden unduly any particular
student group. The tuition rate increases vary
depending on whether an individual is a lower division
undergraduate (freshmen and sophomores), an upper
division undergraduate (juniors and seniors), or
a graduate student. The new tuition rates also
differ depending on the student’s major area
of study and resident status.

Most
full-time, resident, lower division undergraduate
students will pay $5,164.50 per year in tuition
and fees, an increase of $618 or 13.6 percent.
Most non-resident, full-time, lower division undergraduate
students will pay $11,944.50, up $718 or 6.4 percent.

Most
full-time, resident, upper division undergraduate
students will pay $5,314.50 per year in tuition
and fees, an increase of $768 or 16.9 percent.
Most non-resident, full-time, upper division undergraduate
students will pay $12,094.50, up $868 from the
previous year or 7.7 percent.

For
tuition and fee purposes, a full-time academic
load for undergraduate students is 12 credit hours,
or the equivalent; nine hours for graduate students;
and 10 hours for law students.

Students
majoring in certain disciplines will be charged
additional fees, either per credit hour or via
a program fee or surcharge per semester. For example,
students will be charged an additional $15 per
credit hour for all engineering courses. Undergraduate
majors in interior design and architecture will
be charged an additional program fee of $115 per
semester.

Todd
said the tuition increases are necessary to keep
the university moving forward and to maintain financial
stability.

He
said the tuition increases will raise about $20
million in additional revenue, but will still leave
the university far behind its funding needs because
of recurring budget cuts in state funds. The cumulative
effect of the state reductions since July 1, 2001,
totals $74 million.

Even
after the tuition rate increase, the university
will need to find $12 million to fund basic cost
increases. The president said the shortfall will
be managed savings achieved by overhead cost recovery
and additional program reductions across departments.

“The
university remains committed to the goal of achieving
top-20 status and furthering its land-grant and
research mission of solving problems for Kentuckians,” Todd
said. “We must not allow UK to backslide
from the positive momentum our students, faculty,
staff and alumni have helped to foster.”

“Many
of our benchmark institutions also have had significant
tuition increases, and UK remains a value in higher
education,” Todd said. “Our students
expect and deserve to receive a top-notch education.
They need quality teachers, classrooms and research
labs that promote a nationally competitive academic
environment that inspires.”

Resident
graduate students will pay $5,652.50 per year in
tuition and fees, up from $4,974.50, and non-residents
will pay $13,092.50, up from $12,314.50. New annual
tuition and fees for resident students in other
academic units include $7,140.50 for students seeking
a master’s degree in business administration;
$10,268.50 for law students; $9,706.50 for pharmacy
students; $16,981.50 for medical students; $15,568
for dentistry students, and $7,330.50 for professional
doctoral students.

The
annual housing and dining rate will increase by
$450 to $4,735. The Board of Trustees approved
housing rate increases of about 10.8 percent, or
$300. The housing rates for Greg Page apartments
will increase by $300 to $3,183. For those who
purchase a basic meal plan, fees will increase
by $150 to $1,650.